Veteran Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga is likely to be unavailable for the first few games of Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL due to personal reasons. According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the 36-year-old Malinga will not be travelling to the UAE, where the cash-rich league will be played from September 19 to November 10, as his father has not been keeping well for some time and may require surgery in the coming weeks.

The seasoned fast bowler, who has produced match-winning efforts for both Sri Lanka and his IPL franchise, wants to be around his father while training in Colombo. Malinga, who will turn 37 next week, last featured for Sri Lanka in a T20 International during the home series against West Indies in March this year, with his last ODI appearance coming more than a year ago.